Vertical filing device for cards and other uses



1938. E. H. A. PARENT 2,125,619

VERTICAL FILING DEVICE FOR CARDS AND OTHER USES Filed dot. '7, 1935 :sSheets-Sheet 1 Htja B1B! [D E [U] E] El INVENTOR EDMOND HENR! ANDREPARENT ATTOR N E Y Aug. 2, 1938. E. H. A. PARENT 2,125,619

VERTICAL FILING DEVICE FOR CARDS AND OTHER USES .Filed Oct. 7, v1935 3Sheets-Sheet 2 rwz ;' AM; I

Aug. 2; 1938.

E. H. A. PARENT VERTICAL FILING DEVICE FOR CARDS AND OTHER USES 5sheets-sn'eet 3 Filed Oct. '7, 1935 Edmond Hent'iAndr'ePaent PatentedAug. 2, 1938 FILING DEVICE FOR CARDS AND OTHER USES VERTICAL PATENTOFFICE Edmond Henri Andr Parent, Paris, France Application October 7,1935, Serial No. 43,965 In France October 8, 1934 v 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a vertical filing device for cards and otheruses.

As regards filing 'there have been made since about ten years only fixedpieces of furniture 5 which can be used, moreover, only in cases whichare of a simple character and .for current and reduced filingoperations.

In the course of the last years a progress has been made with themanufacture of movable pieces of furniture for filing purposes whichoffer marked advantages over the old ones. The-few devices which arepresently found on the market and which are rather different fromanother use the whole ground surface as development surface; thisparticularity, which, strictly speaking, is suitable for reducedinstallations, has for its result that the use of such devices is verydelicate and even impossible in the case of large installations, for itis a necessity, today, to take every square foot into account. A

This invention has therefore for its object to provide a movablevertical filing device which, on the one hand, partakes of the idealfiling arrangement of the. wall shelves extending along the walls fromthe floor to the ceiling and, on the other hand, offers, like all themovable filing devices, the advantage that unnecessary actions anddisplacements, that is to say,losses of time, are avoided.

is formed, of a hermeticallyclosed closet extending from the floor tothe ceiling, it being possible .to arrange a plurality of such closetsin any number side by side. Each closet comprises two vertical endlessbands supporting a certain number of card drawers, each of which isfurnished with a system of guideways making it possible to draw forwardthe drawer containing the documents which it is desired ,to consult andthen to 40 push the same back again.

\ The endless bands or chains which can be moved manually, if necessary,are preferably actuated by a motor and more particularly an electricmotor the control buttons of which are arranged in a suitable locationon the outer wall ofthe chest or closet.

A form of execution of the filing device according to the invention isshown by way of J-examp1e in the appended drawings, in which Figure 1 isa perspective view showing the general arrangement of the filing pieces.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the filing device. Figure 3 isthe corresponding plan view.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view showing The filing deviceaccordingto this invention more particularly one of the'drawers in itsre-- leased position.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view showing'on an enlargedscale thearrangement of the memhers-insuring the displacements of a drawer.

Figure 6 is an elevational detail view of the handle of each drawer. ofeach drawer.

,Figure 7 is a cross-section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

The cardsare arranged vertically (for instance in five rows) in metalboxes comprising compartments 5 and provided each, in a known manner,with adjustable inclined compressing devices l3. The said boxes arestrengthened and the front face of the same is provided with a specialhandle 3 and with label holders 4.

The handle 3, which is shown in detail in Figure 6, is preferably formedof a horizontal bar arranged in the middle of a hemispherical recess;through this arrangement there is provided a handle which is easy tograsp, which does not project beyond the front surface, and which aidsto give a decorative appearance to the whole.

The boxes 5 are mounted on a pair of laterally located guideways of thetelescopic type having each three arms 8', 8" and 8" permitting to drawthe drawer without strain out of its recess; stops are provided on theguideways for both end positions of the drawer; a detent device whichwill be described hereinafter is provided in order to retain the drawerin the inner position.

The assembly of the box on the pair of guideways is effected on each ofboth sliding arms 8" which are laterally adjacent; this assembly is arigid one, for the arms must follow the box in all its displacements,but it is so formed that it is possible, when the drawer is drawn out,

to take the box 5 out of its guideways through a simple strain actingupwardly, when it is desired to work elsewhere.

Both'sliding arms 8" serve only as extensions and project halfway oftheir length out of the recess when the drawer is drawn out.

The arrangement of the assembly of both sliding arms 8' is particularlyto be noted; .through this assembly it is possible to effect verticaldisplacements of the boxes 5 which are located one above another withoutlosing any space and while maintaining the said boxes in a strictlyhorizontal position, thus insuring a perfectly satisfactory operation ofthe device.

' To this end the sliding arm 8 receives intermediate its ends a bellcrank lever 22 carrying, at one end, a trunnion 28 the centre 32 ofwhich is located exactly in the middle of the sliding arm 8'. Theconnection of the trunnion 23 with the sliding arm 8' is effectedthrough any suitable means making it possible to obtain a fixed assemblyunder the angle which is shown in the drawings; the said connection canbe made, for instance, by means of cylindrical keys 33, as

shown in Figure 5. Moreover, the trunnion 29 receives the rectilineararm 23 forming an extension of a cheek of the endless chain 26.

It is to be noted that the centre point 32 is in the middle of the box 5when the latter is pushed home on its guideways, and that itsubstantially corresponds to the centre of gravity of the same. In thisposition, if the box were free in the space, it would-be possible toturn the same about the centre point 32, the rectilinear arms 23 beingheld against any movement, while it would be possible to draw it on itsguideways 8, since the arm 8' only is fixed. In order to'prevent thedrawer tilting over a bell crank lever 22 is provided and carries, atone end, a guide roller l5 having a frustoconical groove and rollingalong the track H, thus insuring the correct displacement of the systemwhile retaining the box in a true horizontal position.

The two rectilinear arms 23, which partly support the load of the drawer5,-are firmly braced and each of them is riveted in two points on theouter cheek of a link of the chain 28. The chains, which are two innumber for each drawer band, receive on each of their pivoting axes aroller I!) which rolls along a channel 11 with a minimum of play. Thisassembly insures to the rectilinear arms 23 and therefore to the drawers5 the horizontal parallelism as above mentioned (this, of course,'onlyin the straight parts of the endless chains 26).

The said chains 25 pass, at the top and on the bottom, on special wheels25 and Hi integral with the shafts 28 and 3 respectively. Thisarrangement has for its result that the arms 23 extend in a radialdirection and that the pivotal points 32 are broughtaway from another,which permits a very large development of the drawers, which alwaysretain their horizontal position through the medium of the guide rollersl5.

It is desirable that each drawer, when pushed back home, will bemaintained on the application point 32 and any detent member can be usedfor this purpose. Preferably the device shown in the appended drawingswill be more particularly used; this device (Figure 5) comprises a ball36 which can engage two openings 1 and 'l' in the arms 8" and 8" of thetelescopic guideway- The ball is urged into the openings due to thepressure exerted by the ball 38 under the action of a' coil spring 31maintained through the screw threaded plug 38. It is to be noted thatthis automatical detent device is adjustable through a variation of thetension of the spring 31 and that the operation of the same isindependent of the load, contrary to the current systems in which thebraking action at the end of the stroke is effected through theformation of a depression or sinking in a certain part of the track.

The upper shaft 28 carries the load and transmits the driving stress.This shaft is journalled in two fixed bearings 21. The lower shaft 9insures the parallelism and the initial adjustment of the tension of thechain through two adjustable bearings ll.

Preferably the motor is an electric motor 33 which is provided with aworm gearing 28 and a train of gears 2|; furthermore the motor isproside, even when only half of the drawers carry a load.

The complete mechanism is enclosed in a chest or closet 30 (Figure l)the upper part of which has a table I at the normal height for workinwhen sitting; the top of a card is thus in the reach of the hand; Thecontrol buttons 2 are so arranged as to beinaccessible when the draweris drawn; thus any false operation is avoided.

The whole closure is insured by a metal curtain 3! which is wound on adrum 34.

It is to be understood that the above described filing device is notonly adapted for filing cards or other documents, but can be used alsofor receiving any other articles or goods of various kinds and forinsuring every manipulation.

In the case when this device is used as a manipulation device, it wouldbe possible, by means of simple changes in the construction, to providefeeding of the boxes in the upper or lower parts in which the boxes arearranged in a radial direction and brought away from another, orfeedingfrom rearward through sliding of the boxes along their guidewaysin the converse direction with respect to the above described case.

It is to be understood that the apparatus described and shown is onlyone particular form of the present invention and that the latter may beapplied to devices of very different dimensions from filing cabinets fortables or desks up to filing installations involving a plurality ofcabinets or even magazine cases without departing from the scope of theinvention.

Iclaim:

1. In a device of the character described, vertically spaced horizontalshafts, chain-carrying wheels on said shafts, an endless chain passingover said wheels, a plurality of filing drawers, a pair of extensibleslides carried by each drawer, one on each side of a drawer, said slidescomprising a pair of internal slides secured to a drawer, intermediateslides supporting the internal slides and external slides supporting theintermediate slides, means carried by the chain for pivotally supportingthe external slides, guiding cranks mounted on the external slides, andan endless guide track cooperating with said guiding cranks formaintaining said slides horizontal in all positions through which theyare moved by the chain.

2. In a device of the character described, vertically spaced horizontalshafts, chain-carrying wheels on said shafts, an endless chain passingover said wheels, a plurality of filing drawers, a pair of extensibleslides carried by each drawer, one on each side of a drawer, said slidescomprising a pair of internal slides secured to a drawer, intermediateslides supporting the internal slides and external slides supporting theintermediate slides, means carried by the chain for pivotally supportingthe external slides, guiding cranks mounted on the external slides, anendless guide track cooperating with said guiding cranks for maintainingsaid slides horizontal in all positions through which they are moved bythe chain, each drawer being detachable from said slides and capable ofbeing drawn toward the front and toward the rear, and stop means forretaining said drawers in an intermediate sliding position.

'3. In a device 01' the character described, vertically spacedhorizontal shafts, chain-carrying wheels on said shafts, an endlesschain passing over said wheels, a plurality of filing drawers, a pair ofextensible slides carried by each drawer, one on eachside of a drawer,said slides comprising a pair of internal slides secured to a drawer,intermediate slides supporting the internal slides and external slidessupporting the intermediate slides, a hollow trunnion carried by eachexternal slide intermediate its ends, arms extending from the chain forpivotally supporting said trunnions, guiding arms fixed to saidtrunnions, an endless guide track cooperating with said guiding arms formaintaining said slides horizontal, said in-,

ternal and intermediate slides having apertures provided therein adaptedto-register with each other and the hollow trunnions when the drawer isin an intermediate position, a ballin each oi.

said hollow trunnions of a diameter greater than the diameter of theapertures in said internal and intermediate slides, and resilient meansurging said balls toward the internal and intermediate slides.

4. In a device of the character described, vertically spaced horizontalshafts, a pair of horizontally spaced chain-carrying wheels on eachshaft,

the wheels on the upper shaft being in vertical alignment with thewheels on the lower shaft, an endless chain passing over each verticallyaligned pair of wheels, a plurality of filing drawers, a pair ofextensible slides carried by each drawer, one on each side of a drawer,said slides comprising a pair of internal slides secured to a drawer,intermediate slides supporting the internal slides and external slidessupporting the intermediate slides, a trunnion carried by each externalslide I intermediate its ends, carrying arms extending from each chainfor pivotally supporting said trunnions, crank arms fixed to saidtrunnions, and an endless guide track cooperating with said crank armsfor maintaining said slides horizontal throughout the entire travel ofsaid chains.

5. In a filing device, vertically spaced horizontal 'shafts,chain-carrying wheels on said shafts, an endless chain passing over saidwheels, filing drawers, trunnions projecting from each lateral face ofthe drawers, means carried by the chain for supporting said trunnions,whereby upon movements of the chain said trunnions will move through apath having upper and lower semi-circular portions, the axes of whichcoincide with said shafts and straight portions connecting saidsemi-circular portions, an endless guide track having a configurationsymmetrical to and dimensions equal to the path of said trunnions, butlaterally offset relative to said path so that the semi-circularportions of said track are eccentrio to the corresponding semi-circularportions of said path, and means guided by said track for maintainingsaid filing drawers horizontal throughout their path of travel.

6. In a device of the character described, vertically spaced horizontalshafts, chain-carrying wheels on said shafts, an endless chain passingover said wheels, trunnion supporting arms carried by said chain,trunnions pivotally mounted in said arms, a plurality of filingcontainers, means for slidably mounting said containers on saidtrunnions, guiding-cranks mounted on said trunnions, and an endlessguide track cooperating with said guiding cranks for maintaining saidcontainers horizontal in all positions throughwhich they are moved bythe chain.

EDMOND HENRI ANDRE PARENT.

